Building the Future of the Junior League of Mobile

If you ask any member of the Junior League of Mobile (JLM) about an unforgettable memory, many will fondly share about their Provisional Year. This year, 41 women from diverse backgrounds and careers are banding together to develop their potential as women while supporting the needs of the greater Mobile community. During their provisional retreat, members shared a little about their backgrounds (and their quirks, at the suggestion of Amy Groves, president), and it was truly delightful to hear how impressive our provisional class is (albeit a little quirky!). Members work in the education, design, legal, philanthropy, and medical fields, among many others, and all share a passion for improving our communities.

“A Provisional member is a person in training to become an active member of JLM,” said Ta’Marra Branch Lawson, Provisional Chair. “Everyone must start as a Provisional. I want this class to know everything about JLM, inside and out.”

Lawson’s nuts-and-bolts approach to chairing this year’s class includes exposure to every JLM committee so that each Provisional will be best-positioned to seek out their own placements in future years. “This class of Provisionals will have fun as they make a difference in our community,” said Lawson.

“Provisionals are the future of the Junior League of Mobile. Active and Sustainer Members need to promote JLM to women who are interested in serving our community,” said Jennifer Zoghby, JLM Member. “Since the isolation of the pandemic, we are all eager to come back together in a social, communal way. As members, we can play an active role by inviting women in our professional, social, or community networks to consider joining as Provisionals.”

JLM President-Elect, Shellie Teague, noted that “Provisional membership is truly the foundation of our success as an organization. These members bring new ideas and enthusiasm into our placements and mission each year. We depend on our active and sustaining members to bring in these new members so we can train future leaders - not only in Junior League of Mobile, but in our community as a whole.”

This year’s Provisional Class is poised to make a significant contribution. Their Class Project is focused on building the JLM Diaper Bank. The Diaper Bank addresses a crucial need in our community. While Medicaid covers about one-third of all births in the United States, it does not provide for basic health needs, such as diapers for babies and toddlers. Diaper access is documented to prevent medical issues such as painful diaper rashes, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, hepatitis A, and viral meningitis. Additionally, children without sufficient access to diapers cannot attend daycare, which has long-term impacts resulting from the loss of the learning environment.

If you would like to support the Provisional Class by contributing to the Diaper Bank, here are some ways you can help:

Host a Diaper Shower

Become a Diaper Sponsor

Shop the JLM Amazon Wishlist

Become a Distribution Partner

To participate or for more information, visit www. juniorleaguemobile.org and select the “Community Impact” tab.

2021-2022 JLM

By The Numbers

4,366

$29.95

THE VALUE OF A THE VOLUNTEER HOUR (AS OF APRIL 2022)

TOTAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS

$130,761.17

VOLUNTEER HOUR IMPACT

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO UTILIZED JLM VOLUNTEERS

97% 72%

57,000 DIAPERS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE JLM DIAPER BANK

DIAPER BANK PARTNERS DISTRIBUTING DIAPERS IN MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES

625 89% 67%

51% JLM MEMBERS WORK FULL-TIME JLM MEMBERS ARE ACTIVE IN OTHER NONPROFITS JLM MEMBERS WITH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR HIGHER

JLM MEMBERS BETWEEN AGES 30 AND 49 (INCLUDING PROVISIONALS, ACTIVES, AND SUSTAINERS)

JLM MEMBERS GREW UP IN THE MOBILE AREA

STUDENTS IMPACTED BY THE ADOPT-A-SCHOOL PROGRAM